"Novel H1N1 is well entrenched in our background population and medical offices are overwhelmed with the numbers of individuals coming in," he said in a news conference.

Williamson said this was the earliest beginning of the flu season in his public health career.
H1N1, also known as the swine virus, is so dominant that routine testing for it is no longer necessary because patients with flu-like symptoms most likely have it.

The good news, though, is that Alabama expects to receive 600,000 doses of H1N1 vaccine by October, followed by 300,000 doses every two weeks.

By December, Alabama should have about 2 million doses of the vaccine, said Williamson.

Madison County was the epicenter for the Novel H1N1 Influenza during the spring, but Williamson said his office is now hearing more reports from the Wiregrass area in southeast Alabama and Marshall and Pike counties.

The state is reporting 1,298 confirmed cases. Madison County has 115 confirmed cases, according to the state health department's Web site.

Williamson said the Alabama Department of Health is developing a plan on how the first round of vaccinations should be administered.

The agency is working with schools, colleges and universities, pharmacies, physicians and hospitals.

"We see this as a multi-level engagement," he said. "It's going to be a very intensive process.
The vaccine for swine flu, also known as Novel H1N1 Influenza, will be administered in two vaccinations.

Williamson said the state likely won't complete the second round until January or February.

The target groups for the vaccine are pregnant women, people who live with or care for children younger than 6 months of age, health care and emergency services workers with direct patient contact, children 6 months through 4 years of age and children 5 through 18 years of age who have chronic medical conditions.

The vaccine will be offered at no charge; insurers will pay the costs to administer the vaccine.
School-based clinics around the state will be the first to receive the vaccine, but Williamson said it will be given on a voluntary basis only. Written parental consent will be required.
After the schools, health care workers will be next in line.

If enough vaccine is eventually available, he said everyone could be vaccinated.
Williamson stressed again that sick children should remain at home until they are fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medication.

"If sick children will stay at home, schools will stay open," he said.